2014 Littorai, Pinot Noir, Mays Canyon, Sonoma Coast.
With gravel and loamy soils, cool ocean influence and a near perfect year for Pinot Noir, the Littorai Mays Canyon shows deep color and rich detail in 2014 with sublime layered texture and healthy, but satiny tannins along with a depth of dark fruits, spice and wood notes, Ted Lemon’s Littorai Pinots never fail to impress and intrigue! This new release highlights the vintage’s potential and certainly it’s greatest for beautifyul wines, less sharp than 2012 and 2013, which were lovely wines themselves, it just seems the 2014’s go father and have that something extra special about them, I can’t wait to see what they do in 10 years! The firm, complex and dense 2014 Littorai Mays Canyon starts with hints of violets and rose petal, polished walnut, cinnamon stick and racy red fruits leading to a palate of black cherry, cola bean, velvety plum, fig and tangy red currant as well as light/subtle smoke, sweet wild mushroom, cedar and raspberry tea. These details come alive with air, but it takes time to unfold and there is plenty of acidity to give vibrant highlights and verve, this is a wine to enjoy with food over an evening, serious, mysterious, lengthy and robust, while still being very alluring and round, if you are lucky enough to have it, be patient, the rewards will be joyous in a few years. This is another smash hit from Ted Lemon, be sure to look for his 2014’s, and also keep an eye out for his New Zealand star Pinot Burn Cottage as well, it is wonderfully sexy stuff too. Lemon’s Burgundy trained touch and biodynamic methods are becoming legend and his latest set of wines only reinforce the truth in his talents, stunning and graceful wines, drink this Mays Canyon 2014 from 2018 to 2026.
($74-105 Est.) 94 Points, grapelive
